


A Childhood tale

by Shouting_Star



Series: Running to you/Running from you [1]
Category: Oasis (Band)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Young Gallaghers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 02:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10065872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shouting_Star/pseuds/Shouting_Star
Summary: The three Gallaghers boys used to have their bath together but not anymore...





	

Peggy was walking back from work, she was exhausted and longing for a bit of rest. She could see her home at the end of the street and her heart tightened with a burst of anxiety. Tommy had been missing for a week now and she could only hope that it would last longer. She opened the door. Three pairs of worn out shoes and three schoolbags were resting in the entrance. There was no sign of a drunk husband. In the distance, she heard children’s laughter. A soft feeling warmed up her heart. She wished that house could resonate with happy sounds all the time. 

The three boys were in the bathroom. Friday was the day of their weekly bath. It was almost the only luxury in the Gallagher’s household. Since they were toddlers, the brothers had taken their bath together and the more they grew the messier it got. Liam was essentially the one to blame… The small blond kid was unstoppable. He was always talking, splashing his brothers or just teasing them in every way he could. However, this Friday was special. Paul had turned thirteen this week and he wasn’t a kid anymore. During the past year, he had felt more and more embarrassed to wash with his brothers.

The bathroom was full of steam and the bathtub was full of foam. The more bubbles there were, the more Liam was pleased. The two older brothers were at each edge of the bathtub while the younger was in the middle. At the moment, the kid was trying to steal the soap from Noel. 

Paul was silent for a while. He had something to say but it never seemed to be an appropriate time to speak. Finally he cleared his throat.  
“Listen, I want… I wish… Errrrrrr… I think we shouldn’t take our bath together anymore.”  
Liam opened big eyes, his jaw slightly dropping like some cartoon character. What was that brat thinking? That one day he’d be sixteen and happily soaping his brothers’ back? Paul didn’t thought it was a big deal but Liam was a strange animal after all. As for Noel, his expression was unreadable. Paul had noticed that he had recently become a lot better at hiding his emotions.  
The younger boy was already opening his big mouth to protest.  
“WHY?! I thought you liked it?”  
Paul sighed, “I’m just too old, I…” He blushed and blurted, “I need some private space.” Liam’s eyes sparkled. The kid thought he had understood.  
“You mean to jerk off?...”  
“Not at all!” Paul exclaimed noisily. “You’ll figure out when you’ll be older.”  
That was the universal answer for any embarrassing question Liam could possibly come to, “Alright, I think I understand…” The kid frowned, “At least, I’ll still have me bath with Noel.” It didn’t take long for Noel to react.  
“No fucking way! I’m not having me bath alone with Liam!”  
“Why’s that? You’re not thirteen Noel! Hey Noooooely!” He spoke in that plaintiff voice, lengthening the first syllable of his brother’s name. 

When it came to Noel the kid had always been whimsical and possessive. Paul was used to it now. He was the elder but he knew he was middle at everything. Not his dad’s favorite, not his official punching ball, not his little brother’s obsession. Only their mam seemed to always be beyond comparisons but that’s what mothers do.  
Ten minutes later, Noel was seemingly trying to drown Liam in the bathtub.  
“No, noooo, Nooooel… If I have to take me bath alone I won’t bath at all, na!” Noel and Paul exchanged disgusted looks.  
“I won’t let you sleep in my bed - even if you have a nightmare - if you don’t take a shower, kid.” Added Noel.  
Liam’s face showed his embarrassment and Paul was perplexed “Liam still sleeps in your bed?”  
“Not all the nights.” winged the blond boy miserably. Noel smiled internally, he really knew how to play Liam.  
“Alright,” muttered Liam, “no more bathing with you.” After that, he didn’t utter a word and was his moody self for the evening.

 

For a twelve years old boy, Noel had a lot of problems. Most of the time, he didn’t think about it. However it was difficult to ignore when he could see the marks on his skin. Through the water, the bruises on his arms didn’t look so bad. They were now slowly fading to a dull green and he hoped he would have some respite before new ones bloom on his skin. It didn’t even hurt anymore. 

He tilted his head back in the water. His floating dark hair were drawing a moving halo around his head. All the sounds were muted. He ran his eyes aimlessly over the ceiling. He wished he escape the house and go somewhere far away… He’d like to live by the sea. He had no doubts it’d be perfect. He was making childish ploys and for a moment he didn’t feel so old. But rapidly his thoughts were slowed by the calm rocking of the water surrounding his body. Time seemed to stand still and an eternity was going between two seconds. Maybe Noel began to think it was too calm. Not that he was regretting taking his bath with Liam…!  
Just as he thought it, a childish head, crowned with blond hair came over the bathtub.  
Liam was curiously staring into Noel’s eyes. Noel was annoyingly staring into Liam’s eyes. The kid had a malicious smile on his lips. He had already taken his clothes off. Of course. He jumped into the water with bigger splashes than necessary. Noel first thought he should drown him. At least, being the older he had the duty to grumble a little and get pissed.  
“You, little shrimp! Wot d’yer think yer doing! ”Growled Noel.  
Liam smiled as if he knew his brother wasn’t really mad at him.  
“But, Nooooely, I prefer to take me bath with ya’ and the water’s cold when it’s me turn!” Wailed the boy theatrically, making his best puppy eyes.  
It was a poor excuse and Noel knew his little brother could dip into glacial streams if he thought it’d make him interesting! 

Noel decided not to let go already and it’d be funny to tease his baby brother. Playfully, he gripped a fistful of Liam’s hair and dove his head under water, pinched his skin and tickled his tummy. The little boy was both shouting and laughing as he tried to resist his big brother. He wiggled to escape, his small hands trying to push Noel away. The floor was sprayed with water and the bathroom resonated with bursts of laughter from both of the boys. Noel admitted it wasn’t so bad, pissing Liam off was so satisfying!  
“Stop, stop, Noely…” Pleaded a laughing Liam with little tears in the corner of his eyes. 

They had had fun but for now they weren’t much cleaner. Noel grabbed the soap and handed it to Liam.  
“You first, I dunno wot you’ve done but you smell like shit.”  
“Wot??! It’s no true!” He replied while sniffing his armpits.  
Half amused, half disgusted Noel stated:  
“You haven’t taken your bath the last time, innit?”  
“Yes, I have…”  
Noel sighed. He had never been a good liar, our kid.  
“At least don’t look away when you lie. And, first, do not ever lie to me. Understood?”  
The fair haired boy nodded with docility. Noel was satisfied with the answer. He patted his hair as Liam began to clean himself. 

The younger boy started again his babbling as he scrubbed his milky skin. There were tiny bubbles everywhere on his body. Noel didn’t really pay attention to him. The little brat told him every single thought going through his head. Thus, Noel got to know about Liam’s school day: he hadn’t understood the maths, he had gotten scolded because he had forgotten to learn the grammar lesson, and a girl had mocked his haircut (which seemed to bother him a lot) …  
"And there was also a boy from the upper grade that talked shit about our family," Liam got agitated as he recalled the story, "So I gave him a big punch in the head." As Noel tried to listen, the little boy mimed the fight. His story wasn’t very clear and from what he understood Liam had lost miserably and had gotten beaten. He showed his war wounds proudly to Noel: little red scratches on his arms. “But I gave him bad blows too, me! And Noely, did I told ya’ he kicked me arse! Ya’ wanna see? It’s a big bruise!”  
“No Liam, s’ alright. I believe you. No need to show me, really.”  
The little boy shrugged, slightly disappointed.  
“Will ya’ clean me back? I can’t do it alone!”  
“Turn around.”

Liam came between Noel’s legs, presenting him his back. His hair were quite long and tickled his shoulders. Maybe the girl was right thought Noel, time to cut all that. He gently pulled out one of his blond lock and kissed tenderly the wet skin. Liam was smiling. They had always been very close brothers. Too close one would say but they didn’t realize it yet. A kiss, words whispered, a cuddle in the middle of the red night, secret lullabies known by only the two of them. It wasn’t much but it was all they had.  
Noel poured water on Liam’s back while humming a tune. He hoped he would have time to practice the guitar after their bath. Liam was chatting, again. God only knows how a seven years old boy could possibly have so much to say. Noel commented sometimes making Liam laugh or wince or both. 

Noel was also clean now, he just let Liam take care of his back. The younger boy rubbed him carefully. The scrubbing itself was messy but Liam’s hands were soft and reassuring. 

The black haired boy rinsed his body and got out of the bathtub. Drops of water were falling around him as he searched for the towels. Liam followed him. He didn’t regret invading Noel’s bath.

As they dried themselves joking about some teacher, Liam noticed something.  
“Since when d’yer have hairs there?” He asked pointing at Noel’s crotch.  
Careless and without an ounce of decency, say hello to our Liam. For once, Noel had lost his tongue. The little twat was down that road again, bringing up embarrassing subjects! He threw his towel at Liam’s face and put his trousers on as fast as humanly possible. Finally, he answered.  
“It’s none of yer business, you little cunt.”  
Liam was still extremely curious.  
“Is it because you’re smoking now that they grew? Will mine grow if I smoke?”  
If there’s a thing you shouldn’t search in Liam’s head that’s logic. How did he come to that idea? Did Our Kid really have sciences lessons?  
“I am not smoking, Liam, and don’t dare repeating that to the old man. You hear me? Not a single word. And, the… err… hairs. It’s just because I’m growing up but yer far a too little lad to have some.”  
Liam frowned, his small face winced, reflecting that he was in deep liamish thinking.  
“So I’ll have hairs too? Well, I’ll show you when it’ll happen!”  
Noel hoped that Liam would have forgotten what he had just said in a few years. 

Finally, Noel got Liam to clean the floor by threatening him to reveal Paul that he didn’t respect the deal. Their mother had enough work like that and Noel had better things to do than mopping the little pond in the bathroom.  
When Liam finally walked in their room, Noel was strumming on his guitar. He wasn’t very good at it. Although, he had met an older bloke who had taught him a few things about music. The guy was always smoking weed and maybe Noel had taken one or two puffs but Liam didn’t need to know it.


End file.
